When you chain yourself to the gate, you have surrendered control of the story. You are now just another part of the story. This will be a national story until November 2012. Scott Walker is in control.

I think the Wisconsin 14 is sort of along the same lines as the Texas/Oklahoma situation a few years ago.

Cullen, the minority leader, looked somewhat ambushed last night on Gretta's show. After interviewing the GOP about the "secret meeting", it almost sounded like Cullen had just found out about it. He also admitted to having to borrow from his parents in order to stay in Illinois for the duration of this situation.

I was listening to the radioI heard a song reminded me of long agoBack then I thought that things were never gonna changeIt used to be that I never had to feel the painI know that things will never be the same now

I wanna go backAnd do it all over againBut I can't go back I knowI wanna go backCause I'm feeling so much olderBut I can't go back I know

The “Fab 14,” as they have been referred to by admirers for their decision to bolt south, realize media attention is one of the few weapons at their disposal. Their desperate gambit has helped to focus national attention on Walker’s efforts to strip public employee unions of their collective bargaining powers, all in the name of balancing current and future budgets.

If this turns out to be true, it's all because of the AA and Meade Press coverage on these protesting atrocities in WI's capital building. Also, because of the protesters, WI's capital building has been declared unfit for human habitation and needs to be de-stinked and cleansed of all the stinky filth left inside.

1) Announce that you only walked out to provide time for debate and to bring this issue to the public's attention. That has been accomplished.

2) You know you can't stay out forever and you don't want the state to miss out on $165 million or thousands of layoffs and therefore, you are choosing to return today.

3) Announce that the fight over collective bargaining is just starting. There will be an election in two and four years and you will do everything in your power as a party to regain control of the Governorship and assembly to undo this tragic and unfortunate bill, blah blah blah.

4) Thank the people for coming out in support and showing the world blah blah blah...

5) Declare victory (only politicians can do this with a straight face, but they do it all the time).

6) Return, have the vote quickly and move on using this issue as a fundraising/get out the vote issue over the next few years.

"The fact of the matter is, the president told us at the White House that he had unilaterally frozen spending for federal employees. Federal employees don’t have collective bargaining rights,” Barbour told reporters during an event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Wednesday. “The idea you guys have given the country is it’s just like there’s some constitutional right to collective bargaining. About half the states either don’t have it at all – my state does not have collective bargaining – or they limit it. The federal employees are not allowed to have collective bargaining for pay, for pensions, for health care.”

Whatever happened to the Republican bill to require photo ID to vote? I have not seen that mentioned for quite some time now and it was tossed about as one of the things to vote on while the Fab14 were on the run.

I'm several hundred miles away, and I assumed that they had some trump card to play in the end....but all they have is to come home defeated.....and responsible for forcing the Governor hand-out the pink slips.

Of course, the media will make them out to be heros, and the EVIL Governor will be.....well....EVIL

This Gang of 14 made their bed, so to speak, when they fled/shirked their duties and their state, and they apparently had no end game plan? Now, no matter how they spin it,they'll have to come slithering home, losers in so many ways?

Extremely lame Garage. It looks like this guy has been on the fence for awhile and has been floating compromise proposals for a number of days. The problem is that no other Republican senator has signed on and his vote is not necessary for passage. You are really grasping.

garage says: "Uh oh. They must be looking at the dreadful polling that is coming out."

You mean like today's Quinnipiac poll?

To reduce state budget deficits, collective bargaining for public employees should be limited, 45 percent of American voters tell the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll, while 42 percent oppose limits on collective bargaining.

Efforts by governors to limit collective bargaining rights are motivated by a desire to reduce government costs rather than to weaken unions, voters say 47 - 41 percent.

Garage M: If the poll is so positive for the 14, shouldn't they just come back and have a show down to see how many Republicans vote against Walker/ their constituents and seal their fates in the next election? There is nothing to fear but fear itself, no?

First off - regarding Sen. Schultz: I live in his district, and I can tell you first-hand that there is only one reason Schultz is against this bill: he had no part in putting it together. On the outside he comes off as a gentle, affable man, but in reality, he can be an attention whore and a man who thinks nothing is good enough if it isn't his idea. Schultz is merely waffling because he had no core beliefs - he changes his mind as the wind blows. The fact that his wife is an administrator at Richland Schools plays a part as well.

Second - the GOP taking pay away from these 14 Dem senators is a bigger deal than most think. Most of these people aren't "rich", and missing out on a paycheck or two is a big deal, especially for those living in the Madison or Milwaukee areas. Its something that should have been done as soon as they left.

It seems to me the best way for the dems to save face is for one of them to "accidentally" get caught visiting home and dragged to the Senate by a trooper. Then all the others come home because the gig is up, and no one can blame the one that got caught because he or she didn't mean to get caught, he/she just got unlucky. It can all be pre-arranged.

'Did the absconding senators themselves adopt the label "Wisconsin 14"? To my ear, it suggests yippies or lawless revolutionaries. Is that the image they want.'

People on the left yearn for labels, slogans, chants, and the like more than people on the right. This is a cultural separation that I find fascinating. Why does it happen? I'm on the right-- I'm not a joiner; I like the Grouchian notion that a club that would take me is unfit for membership. So I don't understand the leftist yearning for membership.

If rightward people could understand what makes leftward people want to shout "Hey hey, ho ho", and why that makes them feel good, those rightwards might understand much more about politics. Similarly, if leftwards knew why even agnostic, libertarian rightwards tend to dislike anti-Christian attitudes, those leftwards would be wiser.

While the crowds seem to be turning violent. (Saw it at InstaPundit, that Meade had his camera taken out of his hands. When he grabbed it back the man who took it practically called him a thief.)

The "next ploy" may be to in fact hurt Meade. While I gather you go places, Ann, with a security detail. Isn't it time to make sure Meade's NOT ALONE. And, someone with a back up camera is also there?)

Maybe, too, the "missing 14" want some mayhem, so they can take "credit" for coming back in?

As soon as these missing Senators are absent from their desks for 30 days, Wisconsin law says Walker can declare their seats vacant and call special elections to fill them. While those seats are vacant, the Republicans will have a quorum and be able to pass anything they like by 100% votes. And anything that doesn't require spending money they can pass today. Where's voter photo ID and concealed carry? The Republicans are wasting a tremendous opportunity.

They seceded from the Legislature, and voila, they lost their vote in the Legislature. Dumb move. That was how Lincoln got everything he wanted in the US Senate after 1861. I suggest that they be required to pledge not to do it again.

As soon as these missing Senators are absent from their desks for 30 days, Wisconsin law says Walker can declare their seats vacant and call special elections to fill them.

Do you have a cite to this interesting provision of Wisconsin law?

Not worth debating someone that doesn't have children on this.

We used to go on family outings from Illinois to Wisconsin, so I presume the same is possible in reverse. If not, I see that her parents are still alive, and hale and hearty enough to farm. Their kids could spend some weekends at Grandma's as we did as kids.

My understanding, FLS, was that she's very pregnant. That alone would not make a good husband very happy about the situation. Call it an innate desire to protect your wife and unborn child. Secondly, there is a mountain of details to having a baby, as one might guess. Having her hiding out in some hotel in another state complicates all of those plans, not to mention screws up the OB.

Speaking of $3.70 gas, Bernanke is on record, I kid you not, saying that the run-up in gas prices will have a minimal impact on our, ha ha, recovery and will give us just a wee little bit more inflation, which is almost non-existent in any case. Credentialed up the wazoo and tone-deaf to the roar of the falls straight ahead.

What you say is true ripic, what I don't understand is with the MSM not mentioning this fact do they really think that the public doesn't know? I filled my tank just yesterday and it came to $80. The economy is in for a world of hurt with this on top of it.

On the other hand, if the 6mo pregnant Julie Lassa went home, would Walker risk the PR nightmare of having state police arrest her and drag her into the Capitol?

Well, duh, to quote a local troll. That's been on my mind since I heard about her situation. I had originally heard 8 months, though, which makes it a far different thing. Six months is no biggie, speaking as a man.

It would be interesting to find out if this pregnant senator supported Obamacare. Odds are yes, she did. One would further wonder if she believes health care is a human right. If so, one has to wonder when she think that right is going to kick in for her little unborn human.

More interesting facts about Meade from The Awl: he either wasn't really there for Walker's budget address, or he isn't a citizen. Later, a kid barely old enough to shave claims to have built the Capitol.

One way or another I expect that the Wisconsin voters will whack a good number of the Wisconsin 14 at the polls next time. And I think that Walker will lose a few points as well. The old line about regicide applies here. If you're going to shoot at the King--don't miss. But I think that Walker can hold out longer.

What caught my eye was that after reading three pages of Huff-Po comments, not only were people upset by not having more on-the-ground coverage from that right wing rag, the NYT's, but there was not one mention of the phenomenal coverage that Althouse and Meade have dedicated to this.

When some pondered where to get their news, beyond the Linkins' link ins, one stated they now relied on Mother Jones while a Superuser opined that Al Jazeera was the way to go.

If you're still around, is Glee on this week? I thought it was Tuesdays, but I gave up my cable and now I don't get any channels and I'm watching everything on the internets so I'm kind of lost if the times change. Help! (maybe I should bop over to troopers place)

Since there is a quorum for non-financial business, pass a bill. After so many days of absence, unless hospitalized or detained by law enforcement, a member is presumed to have quit. Special election will be held in 30 days to fill the open seat.

I'm pretty cynical about the frequency with which politicians flip-flop... but not to the point where I consider it "breaking news" when one of them sticks to the same story for four whole days in a row.

Seriously, garage -- the leftie blogosphere "broke" this story last Sunday, and "Jay Retread" promptly parroted them here. You're a little late to the party with the news.

SENATE RULE 13n. Imposing penalties on senators who are absent without leave.(1) PENALTY. A member of the senate who is absent from 2 or more session days without obtaining a leave of absence under rule 16 shall do all of the following:(a) Forfeit to the senate $100 for each day that the member is absent without leave. Amounts under this paragraph shall be paid exclusively from the member’s personal funds.(b) Reimburse to the senate the actual costs incurred in compelling the attendance of the member. The chief clerk shall calculate the costs and submit the result to the president. Amounts under this paragraph shall be paid exclusively from the member’s personal funds.

I don't get the Pia love. She sounded like so many other singers. Nothing special. She hit all the notes, and I marveled at the whiteness of her teeth, but other than that?

That young Alaina chick bugs me completely. And Thia -- she sings okay, but the song choice (Was that from Fame?) was wretched.

I dug the kid from Milwaukee, and loved the yellow dress that the toilet cleaner wore.

Zorilla -- is that her name -- was trainwreck bad, and I hope she's gone. If you say I've been waiting this for my whole life in your intro, or This is my moment -- or words to that effect -- you should be thrown out immediately.

IIRC, fines imposed against members may fall under the whole state constitutional thingy that says that the legislature "may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as each house may provide."